Him.

Chapter 33: Keep it

Claire's P.O.V.

"You wanna know something?" Braden asks reaching his hand across the table to grab mine.

"Sure." I say grabbing his hand before he can reach mine.

"You are absolutely amazing. And if you deny it, I'll prove it." He says. He's so sweet, but I don't understand what he means by 'he'll prove it'.

"What?" I ask confused.

"I'll prove how amazing you are if you deny it." He says smirking.

"I kinda want you to prove it." I say laughing.

"Fine." He says standing up. He turns around so his back is facing me. When he turns back around his shirt is unbuttoned. He lifts up the tank top so I can see his stomach. There's only scars. My jaw drops and I stand up and walk over to him and run my hands over the scars.

"Braden! You look amazing!" I say.

"Why thank you." He says running his hand through his hair.

"Yes but, not what I mean. This! You've healed!" I say laughing.

"And you know how that happened?" he asks looking down at me.

"Something to do with science." I say smirking.

"No. You. You did this. This is proof of your amazingness." Braden's says.

"Amazingness?" I ask.

"Yes. I made up a word to prove how amazing you are!" he says.

"Thank you. That's sweet." I say leaving my hand on his stomach.

"You know what else is sweet?" he asks.

"If you say me, that's really cheesy." I say laughing.

"Psh I wasn't going to say you. I was going to say...this tree." He says walking over to the tree and hugging it.

"I love you tree." He says wrapping his arms around it.

I laugh and stay where I am. He gestures me over to him and I walk over. He wraps his arms around my torso and I do the same. He picks me up.

"Braden!" I say squirming.

"Claire!" he says mimicking my tone.

"Put me down!" I say.

"Ah ah ah." He says and then puckers his lips and makes a kissing noise.

I kiss him on the nose.

"Let me go!" I say.

"That doesn't count." He says laughing.

"Please!" I say.

"No." He says.

I lean and put my hands on his neck, pulling him up to me. He kisses back, passionately and full of love. We both pull back at the same time.

"There. Now put me down." I say.

"Uugghh...fine!" he says.

He sets me down gently and I put my arms on his shoulders. He leans down to kiss me, so I kiss his nose. I lean my head back and laugh. He supports me by putting his hands on my upper back.

"You know what?" I ask.

"What?" he asks.

"This has been the best birthday ever." I say.

"And why is that?" he asks smirking.

"Because of you." I say smiling.

"Oh Claire, you're making me blush." He says covering his mouth. I laugh and put my head in chest. I've never seen this side of him, he seems so...so... what's the word I'm looking for...free. He's being himself, cracking jokes, smiling, he's so happy. I love this side of him. Lately he's been tense, now that his dad is out of the picture, he's being himself. I realize I'm staring at him.